The Magic Millions is a "restricted listed race" because it is restricted to horses sold at the MM Sales. The Everest is not a race open to allcommers, it is restricted to horses selected by slot holders to race on their behalf, for that reason alone it will never be a Group race, nothing about "state-based horse racing politics, despite The Daily Telegraph claiming 'sources' had told them otherwise.

No horse no matter its age, sex or where it was sold is prohibited from running in the Everest.

However on Saturday at Caulfield we saw a $120,000 race - the regular Saturday prizemoney - retain Listed status. Same tomorrow at the feature midweek meeting.

And there is a Group 3 race worth only $150k.

If the MRC wants to "rob Peter to pay Paul" in order to get a $5 million Caulfied Cup have no problem at all.

But the Pattern Committee has a credibility problem unless they act in downgrading races where the prizemoney is not sufficient.

Or maybe we have entered a period where "the Victorian bloc" will just abuse their powers to suit Victorian racing black type status and overstate the race's worth while keeping non bloc states in check.

They should get rid of the Pattern Committee and replace it with an independent board - maybe with even an international member - if they, the Pattern Committee, doesn't act on this.

There should be no place for politics in the classification of Australian thoroughbred racing.

MRC permitted to get away with two Listed races on Saturday that only have the regular Saturday prizemoney.

In all my time following racing the MRC is the only club allowed to do this. Listed races ALWAYS carry a bit more than regular Saturday prizemoney no matter where they are run.

Might be time for the pattern committee to be replaced by a new structure that is independent does not show a bias toward Victoria.

Last Saturday the regular prizemoney at Morphetville was $30-40k. The Durbridge Stakes was worth $100,000 i.e.more than double the regular prizemoney. But it only got Listed status.

They should run the Durbridge at Caulfield or Sandown. It would be a Group 1 there.

Not sure what your lame response intended, but it served to encourage me I am on the right track.

Being the leading sire is worth a phenomenal amount to the connections. Far more than just winning a big race.

The slot holders call the shots, and given that many of them are part of a clique there is a very real opportunity for them to stitch up the Everest so that the huge fake prizemoney is expected to go to those with the chosen sires.

So you and Zarafa reckon Jones carried on like an idiot with Heron cuz he was thinking a lack of sails advertising was in some way going to detract from his earning capacity if a Snitzel won the Everest